SARAC
No.Name
15Alex Goode, FB
14Sean Maitland, W
T
3
13Duncan Taylor, C
12Brad Barritt, C
T
11Nathan Earle, W
10Alex Lozowski, FH
T
5
9Richard Wigglesworth, SH
T
1Richard Barrington, P
2Schalk Brits, H
T
3Vincent Koch, P
T
4Dominic Day, L
5George Kruis, L
6Maro Itoje, FL
7Schalk Burger, FL
8Jackson Wray, N8
Replacements
16Scott Spurling, R
17Hayden Thompson-Stringer, R
18Juan Figallo, R
19Nick Isiekwe, R
20Michael Rhodes, R
21Ben Spencer, R
T
22Marcelo Bosch, R
23Chris Wyles, R

*Players currently on the pitch are shown in bold

Game Info

Venue: Twickenham
2:00 PM, September 2, 2017
All CommentaryKey Events

Match Commentary

81'55-24 End of second half
80'The throw is messy and as the ball bobbles out of play, the whistle blows to bring an end to the game.

Saracens were simply irresistible in the first half, with the offloading cutting huge holes in the Northampton defence. They understandably took their foot off the gas in the second half but take nothing away from an incredible opening performance. To think, Owen Farrell, Jamie George, the Vunipolas, Liam Williams et al are all still to come back...
80'Saints have a lineout with time running out. They take it cleanly, but are unable to get much luck out of their drive before the backs are trusted with the ball. Mallinder puts boot to ball with a penalty coming, and we're going to have another lineout.
78'Foden takes Saints into the Saracens half. Can they find one more try?
77'Another big cheer as Schalk Brits is confirmed as the man of the match. Maitland has a hat trick can but can have little complaint with that, Brits was immense.
75'A lovely break from Lozowski and Saracens can scent try No. 10. But as the ball is recycled Sarries are penalised for obstruction.
73'That scrum penalty will help them as it allows Mallinder to kick upfield.

But after gathering the lineout the ball is spilled in midfield by James Grayson.
72'Saracens win the lineout but Saints do well to win the free kick. They have eight minutes to score a fourth try, and earn an all-important bonus point.
71'Saracens milk another penalty at scrum time and launch another kick to the corner.
69'55-24 Conversion - Alex Lozowski , Saracens
68'TRY! Saracens keep the pressure on and following a couple of phases close to the try line, replacement Ben Spencer snipes over.
68'53-24 Try - Ben Spencer , Saracens
67'Wyles takes the ball in midfield from a Saracens scrum and bursts into the Saints 22. But from the next phase support is slow to get there and Northampton secure the scrum.
67'Substitute on - James Grayson , Northampton Saints
67'Player substituted - Ahsee Tuala , Northampton Saints
66'Player substituted - Richard Wigglesworth , Saracens
66'Substitute on - Ben Spencer , Saracens
65'TRY! The answer is yes as a cheer goes up to greet the England man's second try of the game. Mallinder adds the extras.
65'TRY? The lineout is again won by Saints, who opt to keep the ball with their forwards. They eventually hammer a way to the line through Wood but has he touched down? We're going upstairs.
65'48-24 Conversion - Harry Mallinder , Northampton Saints
65'48-22 Try - Tom Wood , Northampton Saints
63'The lineout is won, but as Saints look to put width on the ball their handling lets them down. There was a penalty coming though, so we'll go back to that and have another lineout.
63'The lineout is won, but as Saints look to put width on the ball their handling lets them down. There was a penalty coming though, so we'll go back to that and have another lineout.
62'You can't really blame the teams if a little of the tempo has gone out of this game, given the heat. A period of play around halfway ends with a penalty to Saints, who kick to the corner.
62'Substitute on - Campese Ma'afu , Northampton Saints
62'Player substituted - Alex Waller , Northampton Saints
62'Substitute on - Mike Haywood , Northampton Saints
62'Player substituted - Dylan Hartley , Northampton Saints
60'Player substituted - Brad Barritt , Saracens
60'Substitute on - Marcelo Bosch , Saracens
60'Substitute on - Michael Rhodes , Saracens
60'Player substituted - Dominic Day , Saracens
59'Good defence from Saints to hold Sarries out from close range.
59'Player substituted - Nic Groom , Northampton Saints
59'Substitute on - Alex Mitchell , Northampton Saints
58'Saints gather the restart and look to attack Saracens but their momentum doesn't last long and their opponents force the penalty.
57'48-17 Conversion - Harry Mallinder , Northampton Saints
56'TRY! Saints aren't done yet. Waller burst through the Saracens defence before Wood collects and barges his way over the line.
56'48-15 Try - Tom Wood , Northampton Saints
54'
54'Brits trundles off to a deserved round of applause. He has been immense today.
54'Substitute on - Scott Spurling , Saracens
54'Player substituted - Schalk Brits , Saracens
54'Player substituted - Christian Day , Northampton Saints
54'Substitute on - Courtney Lawes , Northampton Saints
54'Substitute on - Paul Hill , Northampton Saints
54'Player substituted - Kieran Brookes , Northampton Saints
53'
53'48-10 Conversion - Alex Lozowski , Saracens
52'TRY! Brits gets a deserved score following good work from Lozowski and Duncan Taylor to open up the Saints defence. Comeback over.
52'Harry Mallinder is not having a great day. Spotting Wray on the left wing, he tries to kick behind the No. 8 but misjudges his kick and the ball flies out on the full, just.
52'46-10 Try - Schalk Brits , Saracens
52'Player substituted - Tom Collins , Northampton Saints
52'Substitute on - Ken Pisi , Northampton Saints
52'Player substituted - Vincent Koch , Saracens
52'Substitute on - Juan Figallo , Saracens
52'Player substituted - Richard Barrington , Saracens
52'Substitute on - Hayden Thompson-Stringer , Saracens
51'It's messy and although Wood cleans up, their momentum is lost and the Saracens defence can apply the pressure that ultimately leads to a turnover.
50'Northampton have a lineout inside the Saracens 22. What can they do with this?
48'Sarries secure the lineout but as Wigglesworth looks to involve the backs, Lozowski knocks on.
47'A sliced clearance from Mallinder gives Saracens a lineout on the Saints 22.
46'Courtney Lawes, meanwhile, is off for a HIA.
46'A huge roar as hat trick hero Maitland is replaced by Chris Wyles. A good 45 minutes work for the Scotland wing.
46'Substitute on - David Ribbans , Northampton Saints
46'Player substituted - Courtney Lawes , Northampton Saints
46'Player substituted - Sean Maitland , Saracens
46'Substitute on - Chris Wyles , Saracens
45'Mallinder adds the extras and Saints are now just 31 points behind. Game on...
45'41-10 Conversion - Harry Mallinder , Northampton Saints
44'TRY! Saints aren't to be denied though and Lewis Ludlam skirts round the Saracens defence to score.
44'41-8 Try - Lewis Ludlam , Northampton Saints
42'A glimmer of hope for Saints as Luther Burrell and Tom Collins combine to release Alex Waller metres from the line but the prop knocks on.
41'We're back underway at Twickenham and Saracens, unsurprisingly, are back on the attack.
41'41-3 End of first half
40'
40'Saints end the first half in possession and in the Sarries half but Tuala's pass is forward and that signals the end of the opening 40.

What can you say about that? Saracens have looked frightening with ball in hand, putting pace on the ball and offloading with precision to score seven tries. Saints on the other hand look shellshocked having conceded more tries in this half than in 40 minutes of Premiership rugby ever before.
40'Some good news for Saints, of sorts, as Christian Day returns to the action having passed his HIA.
40'41-3 Start of second half
40'Substitute on - Christian Day , Northampton Saints
40'Player substituted - David Ribbans , Northampton Saints
39'41-3 Conversion - Alex Lozowski , Saracens
38'
38'TRY! Sarries secure the lineout and just have too much for Saints as they batter up the middle, with Vincent Koch storming through under the posts for try No. 7. SEVEN.
38'39-3 Try - Vincent Koch , Saracens
37'Yet more ill-discipline Saints and Lozowski boots Saracens to their five-metre line.
35'
35'TRY! Hat trick for Maitland! A multitude of handling errors from Saints is punished as Barritt produces a delicate grubber that the Scotland wing can watch onto his hand before touching down nonchalantly.
35'34-3 Try - Sean Maitland , Saracens
33'Another missed conversion for Lozowski but it matters little. Saracens have been the better side all over the park. That was two front rows combining to set Maitland clear. Brilliant.
32'TRY! Brits and Barrington combine beautifully to set Maitland on the right wing, and he does well to hand off the covering tackle and stay in touch before dotting down.
32'29-3 Try - Sean Maitland , Saracens
31'Player substituted - Christian Day , Northampton Saints
31'Substitute on - David Ribbans , Northampton Saints
30'
30'The fly-half converts his own try and Saracens are streaking away with this. Twenty-one points up and with a bonus point secured inside 30 minutes.
30'24-3 Conversion - Alex Lozowski , Saracens
29'TRY! Brits with a wonderful break and one-handed pass on the right wing, that finds Jackson Wray. The No. 8 takes the ball up to the line before Lozowski snipes over from the base of the breakdown.
29'22-3 Try - Alex Lozowski , Saracens
28'
28'He's much better with ball in hand. A lovely kick from Lozowski dribbles into touch on the five metre line.
27'It's another miss for the Sarries No. 10. That was a difficult chance, close to the left touchline but it's not been his day from the tee so far.
26'Northampton penalised for not rolling away, and Lozowski is going to have a crack at the posts from just inside the Saints half.
25'A loud roar goes up around Twickenham as Mallinder kicks Northampton's first points of the afternoon.
25'17-3 Penalty goal - Harry Mallinder , Northampton Saints
23'Penalty to Saints. Northampton manage to build a period of possession in the Saracens half, with Courtney Lawes injecting some pace into the move to take them into the 22 before Saracens are penalised at the breakdown.
22'Another Lozowski conversion attempt sails wide, and although that was a lot more difficult than the first, missed kicks are all that are keeping Saints in the game. If they still in this game.
21'17-0 Try - Sean Maitland , Saracens
20'TRY! Another astute kick turns Ben Foden on the right wing, and though he gets back, Saracens run his clearance back and as the ball is spread wide, Sean Maitland is able to scamper over on the right touchline.
19'A testing box kick for Ahsee Tuala to deal with from Wigglesworth, but the Saints fullback does well.
17'A good carry from Tom Wood has Saints up to the sarries 22 but good work over the ball from Itoje and Isiekwe forces the penalty.
16'Eadie is back up on his feet again, but walking very gingerly. It would be a surprise if he could carry on.

Meanwhile, Harry Mallinder has missed an opportunity to get Saints on the board as his penalty attempt drifted wide.
16'Player substituted - Mitch Eadie , Northampton Saints
16'Substitute on - Jamie Gibson , Northampton Saints
15'A brief stoppage here as Mitch Eadie receives treatment. He tried to get up once, but is back on the floor. Worrying times for Saints.

Meanwhile, George Kruis has been forced off for Saracens, to be replaced by Nick Isiekwe.
15'Player substituted - George Kruis , Saracens
15'Substitute on - Nick Isiekwe , Saracens
14'
14'After a chastening few minutes, Northampton have some ball in the Saracens half. Can they find a way back into this?
13'12-0 Conversion - Alex Lozowski , Saracens
12'
12'TRY! A terrible restart from Northampton gifts Saracens a scrum on halfway and from there it is all about their opponents. Barritt takes them deep into the Saints half, and after a couple of phases a Richard Wigglesworth is in support to score under the posts.
12'10-0 Try - Richard Wigglesworth , Saracens
10'Inexplicably Alex Lozowski has missed the conversion, lead stays at five.
9'TRY! Schalk Brits and Dominic Day combine to to leave Sarries metres from the Northampton line, and as the ball is spread wide, Brad Barritt cuts an excellent line to score his side's first try of the season.
9'5-0 Try - Brad Barritt , Saracens
8'A couple of strong carries take Sarries into the Northampton 22 before Alex Goode spots a gap and goes through it, but his offload out of the tackle doesn't find a black-and-red hand.
7'Nic Groom botches his box kick, which goes out on the full to gift Saracens a lineout just outside the Saints 22.
5'Sarries apply pressure at the scrum, giving them a chance to clear the danger.
4'Some sloppy play from Saracens gifts Northampton an attacking scrum but as Saints burst into the 22, the referee's whistle goes.
1'Saints get us underway and it's an early chance for some Saracens possession as a roar goes up around Twickenham.
1'
1'Welcome to LIVE coverage of the first game of the double header as Saracens get their Aviva Premiership campaign underway against Northampton.
1'0-0 Start of first half